Austin looking to add e-cigarettes to public smoking ban

You won't see smoking in Austin restaurants, but you might still see vaping. Electronic cigarettes aren't included in the city's smoking ban.

Author:
Amber Downing

Published:
9:04 PM CDT May 12, 2017

Updated:
9:04 PM CDT May 12, 2017

You won't see smoking in Austin restaurants, but you might still see vaping. Electronic cigarettes aren't included in the city's smoking ban.

In the next couple of months, the city council is aiming to update the city's smoking ordinance.

"I don't think much of it, partly because it's not as annoying as like a traditional cigarette smoke," said Ray Hernandez.

"I don't really see too much difference between them smoking regular cigarettes and that," said Sandy Bolton.

City Council took a step Thursday toward changing Austin's smoking ordinance to include Electronic cigarettes.The amendment would ban them in bars, restaurants and public parks.

"Really it's just kind of catching up with the technology at this point," said Councilmember Delia Garza.

New restaurant JT Youngbloods, in the Mueller development, bans smoking indoors and on its patio.

"We appreciate that there are some groups that smoke, but just in order for everyone to enjoy our amazing food and have a great experience [we don't allow it]," said JT Youngbloods Co-owner Jeff Haber.

The restaurant owners told KVUE if they saw someone smoking an e-cigarette, they would stop them.

"It wouldn't happen here," Haber said. "Again, we're all about the guest experience, so it just wouldn't be something that we would allow".

In about three months, the council will vote again on whether or not to include e-cigarettes in the smoking ban.

"The intent of the smoking ban was just to make sure that when you're out in public places that you're in an environment that's as healthy as possible," Councilmember Garza said.